Method of and apparatus for printing and feeding labels in a continuous web, and for verifying and cutting individual labels therefrom for application to articles

ABSTRACT

A labeling machine including means for feeding a continuous web having thereon a series of labels of a given length but with certain of the adjacent labels thereon spaced differently than other adjacent labels, and having thereon control elements related to such differences in the label spacing, the machine further including label severing means operable to cut off the terminal labels in the web at their given lengths regardless of the different spacings therebetween, and means controlled by the control elements on the web and operating the severing means to cut from the web the labels in uniform length and without having attached thereto any web portions providing spacings between adjacent labels. .Iadd.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 300,209, filed Oct. 24,1972, now abandoned Ser. No. 300,209 being a reissue of U.S. Pat. No.3,536,550..Iaddend.

This invention relates to labels for articles such as bottles,containers, tubes, etc., and is particularly concerned with themanufacture of a continuous web of labels provided with register meansfor control purposes, the detection of such register means in the feedof the continuous web for purposes of label verification andregistration, and the control thereby of devices such as means forcontrolling the operation of the machine, for cutting individual labelsand removing waste from the web, and for registering the web withrespect to certain mechanisms.

Labels in a continuous web, often referred to as roll labels, areusually successively printed on the web as the latter is intermittentlyfed past a printing device. Finely detailed labels such as are used inthe drug trade are usually printed by the well known letter pressprocess which, while it has certain advantages, is not entirelysatisfactory because of many disadvantages that are inherent in themeans for practicing it. Thus, the plates used in this process areexpensive, its practice requires the employment of experienced printers,and it is difficult to adapt this process to the label field and producequality results. Furthermore, the letter press process is a relativelyslow and expensive method of label printing. It is recognized by the artthat another well known process of printing known as offset printing hasmany advantages over the letter press process for producing finelydetailed labels, but up until now there has been no economically knownway of utilizing this superior process to produce labels in roll form.This is principally due to its inflexibleness in cut off lengthresulting from the gap between the ends of the plate or blanket and thefact that the cylinders are all of the same fixed size because of thedesign of the press.

Another factor which has proved troublesome to the art in connectionwith continuous webs of labels, is concerned with the register meansthat have heretofore been employed for control purposes. These priorregister means usually take the form of holes punched in the web, orvisible marks printed on the web and in either case it is necessary toprovide such register means in a particular location on each label inorder that such register means may be removed from the label after ithas performed its intended function, or if left on will interfere aslittle as possible with the the printed and design feature of the label.However, if such register means is not removed from the label, whichrequires an additional operation in the label's preparation, it willalways detract to some extent from the appearance of the label.

One of the objects of the invention therefore is to provide a methodenabling the printing of labels on a continuous web by offset printing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method ofprinting, whereby a series of labels of given size may be repeatedlyprinted on lengths of web of a given dimension greater than the combinedlengths of the labels in each series thereof contained on each such weblength.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method bywhich labels may be printed on a continuous web with the use ofphotographically made printing plates.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofapplying to labels registry means which will not affect the appearanceof the labels even though it is not removed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved methodwhereby registry means may be applied to labels in any location thereonaccording to the label's coding requirements.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel methods ofoptical-electrical and magnetic-electrical control of the feeding,formation and vertification of labels.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel controlmeans capable of being activated by registry means on the labels whichare invisible to the human eye.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coded controland/or means reponsive to properly coded invisible registry means on thelabels to actuate operable means controlled whereby, but non-responsive,or actuatable automatically to render the system inoperative, wheneveran improperly coded label is scanned thereby.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cutting meanscontrolled by registry means on the web and capable under such controlof cutting labels non-uniformly spaced on a continuous web.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutting means capable ofremoving web material between labels in accordance with a predeterminedsequence.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutting means controlledby registry means on the web and operable under such control toselectively cut labels, or labels and excess web material from acontinuous web provided with joined and spaced labels thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system capable ofprinting lables of different sizes on a continuous web and of cuttingfrom the web the different sized labels.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel system forapplying a code or control number to labels at the time of the printingof such labels and for checking the presence or the lack of a particularcontrol number on a label that is being applied to a particular product.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel system forapplying verifying symbols or codes to sequences of labels provided onprinting plates and checking on the printed label webs the particularverifying symbols contained in the sequences of labels to be applied toparticular products.

Other objects of the invention, as well as the advantages and novelfeatures thereof will appear from a perusal of the following descriptionwhen read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic layout of a rotary web offset printing press forprinting roll labels in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view of a printing roll inan offset press;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a printing plate embodying the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic elevation view of the cutting mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and showing the operation of one setof cutting blades;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 and showing both sets of the bladescutting the web;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 indicating the manner in which thecut chip is removed;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the sets of bladesadjusted to cut a chip of larger size;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the adjusted bladescutting the wider chip;

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the method of controllingthe registration of the label web relative to the cutting means and theoperation of the latter;

FIG. 11 is a partial schematic top view showing the manner in which asplit ink formation may be associated with the printing plate inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of the scanning meansemployed for detecting luminescent control elements;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic, perspective view showing the manner in whichthe several devices may be associated with the label web in a labelingmachine;

FIGS. 14 to 17 are diagrammatic views showing in vertical section themanner in which the chips cut from the web may be removed from themachine;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of a portion of a printed label web provided withverifying symbols in the sections thereof to be removed;

FIG. 19 is a schematic, elevational view, partly in section, of ascanning means for detecting characters printed on the web with magneticink;

FIG. 20 is a plan view of a portion of a label web provided with feedcontrol elements and optically recognizable characters; and

FIG. 21 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of optical-electricalscanning means for a label web.

The invention may be practiced as a continuous operation, but it is mostadvantageously practiced as a two step operation in which the webs oflabels embodying the invention are first made in a rotary web offsetprinting press embodying the invention, and are then utilized in alabeling machine embodying the features of the invention. FIG. 1 of thedrawings shows a schematic layout of a suitable offset printing pressthat may be utilized for printing rolls of webs provided with labelssuitable for use on containers for ethical drugs. The several unitsconstituting the press are of known construction and include an unwindstation 10 at which a roll of continuous paper web W of a widthsufficient to permit the printing thereon of multiple rows of labels, isrotatably supported. The web from the supply roll initially passesthrough a tension control unit 11 and then may pass through a pluralityof printing units 12, 13 and 14 for successively printinig on the web insuperposed relation the required number of images necessary to form thecomplete labels. The printed web then may pass through a coating unit 15for applying a protective coating to the labels. From the coating unit15, the web may pass through a rotary punching unit, the purpose ofwhich shall be hereinafter more fully explained, and then through aslitting and rewind unit for slitting the web lengthwise into aplurality of label strips and rewinding the slit strips into label rollsin a manner well known to the art.

Each of the printing units 12, 13 and 14 in an offset web press of thetype depicted in FIG. 1 of the drawings, is composed of a printingcylinder 20 in FIG. 2, on the exterior surface of which is mounted theprinting plate 21. The ends of the plate 21 are bent down into alongitudinal groove 22 provided in the cylinder and may be fastened tothe cylinder by a wedge-shaped member 23 tightened in wedged relation inthe groove 22 by a plurality of set screws 24 to secure the printingplate 21 to the cylinder. Thus, across the mouth of the groove 22 thereis a gap approximately 1/4 inch wide throughout the length of thecylinder and in the direction of the widths of the labels to be printedon a web, which prevents the application of printed matter to thoseprotions of the web which extend over such gap in the feed of the web.

The printing plate 21 is preferably a photosensitized plate such as iscommonly used in the practice of the offset process. Plates of thepreferred type are usually composed of a flexible plate metal backing21' on which is applied a layer 21" of the photosensitive emulsion.Exposure of the plate may be made by a carbon arc, or any equivalentintensity source. The printing plates 21 are each provided along thesides thereof with two registering holes 25 (FIG. 3) which register withpins 26 in FIG. 2 provided on the printing cylinder 20 to enable theready and proper placement of a printing plate on the printing cylinder.Preferably as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pins 26 are located on theprinting cylinder 20 diametrically opposite the groove 22 thereof andthe registering holes 25 are located at the centers of the two sideedges of the plate 21, so that the center of the plate will be heldfixed by the pins thereby enabling the plate to be properly wrappedaround the cylinder and the two ends thereof properly registered in thegroove 22. The importance of this feature will be realized when it isunderstood that the end margins 27 of the plate which are tucked intothe groove 22 for securement by the wedge member 23, are quite narrow inwidth, for example, of the order of 1/8 inch.

Between the two margins 27 of the plate 21 the sensitized area thereofis provided with the areas 30 of label material for a given productwhich are to be printed on the continuous paper web W. The label areas30 are laid out so that the height of the labels extends lengthwise ofthe plate and will be wrapped around the printing cylinder, and so thata plurality of rows of such label areas are provided across the width ofthe plate; there being four rows provided in the plate shown in FIG. 3of the drawings. The length of the plate 21 between the end margins 27thereof is a given fixed length because offset printing presses areusually constructed for printing cylinders of a given diameter. It hasbeen determined that the heights of labels most commonly employed in thecontainer labeling art range from about six inches maximum height to 3/4inch minimum height and vary in small steps between these two limits. Ithas been found also that plates 18 inches in length, if constructed inaccordance with the invention, may be utilized to print the labelsfalling within such given range. With a plate 18 inches long, there willbe provided a given or predetermined fixed printing repeat length of173/4 inches because of the two 1/8 inch end margins 27 which must beutilized to secure the plate to the printing cylinder. There will ofcourse be certain sized labels the multiple areas 30 of which willexactly fit within such given fixed repeat length, but the heights ofmost labels within the stated range will not have a repeat length whichis exactly the same as such given fixed repeat length. In accordancewith the invention, this problem is overcome by dividing the fixedprinting repeat length by the height of the label between the parametersset and which it is desired to print for a given product, to obtain thewhole number of label areas 30 which can be printed along the web by onerevolution of the plate. There will be a remainder of at least 1/4 inch,and this remainder may be utilized as a whole if not more than 11/2inches, or may be divided into equal increments of not less than 1/4inch and not more than 11/2 inches. The printing plate 21 is thenprepared repeating the label areas 30 as many times as the whole numberthereof, and spacing certain of such label areas by the amount of theincrement or increments constituting the said remainder. The incrementor increments, if a multiplicity thereof, may be arranged in anysuitable manner on the plate. For example, as is shown in FIG. 3 of thedrawings, such increments 31 which are three in number and 1/4 inch inheight, are located between the first four label areas 30 on the lefthand side of plate 21, as viewed in such figure, and the remaining labelareas 30 arranged in abutting relation. The label areas shown are oneinch in height so that there are 17 of them provided lengthwise in theplate print length of 173/4 inches. The thus prepared printing plate 21is then mounted on the printing cylinder 20 in the manner described andthe press operated to print the labels on the web W.

It will be understood from the foregoing that a label web produced asaforesaid in accordance with the invention, will have printed thereoncertain labels which will be spaced apart by the increments 31 providedon the plate and by the 1/4 inch gap at the ends of each given fixedrepeat length of the plate 21, and other labels which will be connectedtogether without any intervening spacing web portion. In other words,certain of the successive labels on the web will be spaced apart bygiven amounts, and other successive labels on the web will abut eachother, and this pattern of spaced and abutting labels set on theprinting plate will be repeated throughout the length of the web. Inorder that a label web of this type may be employed in a labelingmachine, it is necessary that such machine be provided with means forsevering both the abutting labels and the spaced labels on the web andfor eliminating the web portions which separate the spaced labels. Inaccordance with the invention this is accomplished by providing on theweb indicia for properly registering the abutting and spaced labels onthe web with the cutting mechanism of the labeling machine, and forcontrolling the operation of such cutting mechanism which is constructedso that it is capable of making single cuts to sever abutting labels andof making double cuts to eliminate the web portions between spacedlabels.

It is believed advisable for an understanding of the invention to firstconsider the mechanism for cutting the labels from the web. Consideringnow FIGS. 4 to 6 of the drawings, it will be noted that the cuttingmechanism includes a pair of cooperative blades 35, 36 which reciprocatetoward and away from each other along fixed paths to cut the web W inthe manner shown in FIG. 5. Not only are the blades 35, 36 fixed againstmovement along the run or travel of the web W once they have beenproperly adjusted for the label size to be cut, but their cutting actioncannot be interfered with during the normal operation of the machine.Associated with the blades 35, 36 are a second pair of cooperativeblades 37, 38 which also reciprocate toward and away from each other tocut the web W. When the labels registered with the cutting mechanism arein abutting relation, the blades 37, 38 are latched in inoperativeposition and the blades 35, 36 only will operate to sever from the webthe leading one of such abutting labels. When, however, a pair of labelsjoined in spaced relation by an increment 31 is advancing into registrywith the cutting mechanism, the blades 37 and 38 are caused to beunlatched so that on the next operation of blades 35, 36, blades 37, 38will move with them and both sets of blades will simultaneously severfrom the web the increment 31 joining the spaced labels as shown in FIG.6. The cut increment 31 or chip may be removed upwardly between theblades 35, 37 as shown in FIG. 7, by known types of vacuum machines usedfor this purpose in the art.

FIGS. 4 to 7 of the drawings show the two sets of blades 35, 36 and 37,38 set for the removal from the web W of increments 31 of the smallestsize, namely 1/4 inch. When increments 31 of greater height are to besevered from the web, the set of blades 37, 38 are shifted as a unitaway from the set of blades 35, 36 and along the line of travel of theweb until they are spaced from the set of blades 35, 36 the desireddistance, as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings. When the two sets ofblades are next operated in unison they will cut the larger sizedincrement or chip 31' shown in FIG. 9. The shifting of the set of blades37, 38 is preferably accomplished manually by means of a micrometeradjustment which is built into the cutting mechanism and which isconstructed to enable the sets of blades to be accurately adjusted tocut any size of increment in the aforesaid range thereof between theminimum of 1/4 inch and the maximum of 11/2 inches.

The registration of the labels with the set of cutting blades 35, 36 andthe operation of the set of cutting blades 37, 38 are controlled by thecoaction of control elements provided on the web and a scanning devicelocated along the path of feed of the web at least one repeat length ofweb (18 inches in the case of the printing plate illustrated in FIG. 3of the drawings) upstream from the line of cut of the set of cuttingblades 35, 36. Thus, there are provided on the web a set of controlelements for registering the labels with the cutting blades 35, 36,these being one of such elements for each label and each of suchelements being associated with a label. There are also provided on theweb separate control elements for controlling the operation of theblades 37, 38 and these control elements are equal in number to thenumber of increments provided on the web and each is located on the webin advance of or downstream from an increment. It will be understood,that while particular control elements are associated with particularlabels and increments on the web, the coaction of such elements in aparticular repeat length of web with the scanning means does not controlthe cutting of the labels and increments in that particular repeatlength of web, but controls the cutting of similarly located labels andincrements in the repeat length of web in advance of such particularrepeat length due to the spacing of the cutting and scanning means.

It is believed that a better understanding of the aforesaid operationwill be understood from a consideration of FIG. 10 of the drawings whichshows a portion of a label web W of a length containing two repeatlengths designated 40 and 41 and each of which is provided with fivelabels. Two of the labels 42, 42 and 43, 43 in such repeat lengths 40,41, respectively, are spaced from each other and the remaining threelabels 42', 43', respectively, by space increments 44, 45, respectively.The remaining labels 42' and 43' are connected together in abuttingrelation. Associated with each of the labels 42, 42', 43 and 43' arecontrol elements 46 for controlling the registration of the labels withthe fixed or continuously operable set of knife blades 35, 36 only theformer of which is indicated in FIG. 10 and which are located in anadjusted position relative to the line of feed of the web dependent onthe size of the labels. Associated with the set of knife blades 35, 36is the intermittently operable or adjustable set of knife blades 37, 38,only the upper one of which is indicated in FIG. 10, and which arespaced from blades 35, 36 a distance equal to the height of theincrements 44, 45. Control elements 47 for controlling the operation ofthe blades 37, 38 are located on the web in advance of the increments44, 45. In the arrangement shown, the control elements 46 and 47 arealigned along one edge of the web making it possible to employ onescanning device to control both the registration of the labels and theoperation of blades 37, 38. It will be understood, however, that theknife signal control elements 47 may be placed on the web in non-alignedrelation with the register control elements 46 so that in situationswhere it is considered desirable two scanning devices may be employed;one to control the registration of the labels and the other to controlthe operation of blades 37, 38. A scanning unit 48, which preferablycomprises at least one scanning device constituted of an electric eye,is located at least one repeat length of web upstream from the set ofcutting blades 35, 36. With a printing place dimensioned as the plate 21previously discussed, the scanning unit or device 48 would be positionedupstream from the cutting blades 35, 36 exactly 18 inches so that itwill be scanning a control element 46 located the repeat length of web41 at the same time a similarly located control element 46 in the repeatlength of web 40, is positioned at the line of cut of the blades 35, 36.

With the foregoing in mind and assuming that the direction of label feedis to the left, as viewed in FIG. 10, it will be understood that in theoperation of the apparatus, the web W will be fed by the web feedingmeans of the label machine in a step-by-step fashion so that in theperiods of dwell thereof the register control elements 46 associatedwith the terminal labels will stop at the line of cut of the blades 35,36 and another register control element 46, one repeat length back ofsuch registered control element in the repeat length of web 41, willstop at the scanning device 48. This step-by-step registration of twosimilarly located register control elements in the two repeat lengths oflabel web and spaced one repeat length apart, will occur during eachperiod of dwell in the feed of the web W. The step-by-step movementimparted to the web by the web feeding means is controlled by thescanning means 48, which every time a register control mark 46 isscanned thereby causes the sending of a signal to the web feeding meansto stop the feed of the web. The set of knife blades 35, 36 arethereupon automatically operated to sever the terminal label 49 from theweb. Between the periods of dwell the knife signal control elements 47also will pass by the scanning means 48 and cause the latter to send asignal that will effect the unlatching of the set of blades 37, 38 sothat on the next operation of the two sets of blades they will cutdouble to remove a chip of paper, as has been explained. Wherever in theweb there is not provided a control element 47 between two controlelements 46 because there is no following increment 44 or 45 to beremoved, there will be no transmitted signal for unlatching the blades37, 38 and the blades 35, 36 only will operate to make a shear cut.

The scanning means 48 performs an additional function through theregister control elements 46 as the label web travels through themachine. Located approximately one repeat length of web in back of thescanning means 48 is an imprinter 50 which is positioned so that thesame given area portion 51 of successive labels will come into the fieldof printing of the imprinter 50 as the web successively stops because ofthe registry of the control marks 46 with the scanning device 48. Whenthe scanning device 48 sends a signal to stop the feed of the web, itsimultaneously sends a signal to the imprinter 50 causing it to operateto imprint on the area portions 51 of a label the information that isrequired to be added to a label at the time it is being applied to acontainer for a given product and which in the case of pharmaceuticalproducts may be the batch number of the material being packaged, theexpiration date for the safe use of such material, the date of pckaging,etc. This information is usually applied to a label in the form of acode number.

Considering the aforesaid system of operation as a whole, it may benoted that at the start of a cycle of operation of the labeling machine,the construction is such that the electrical circuit in which iscontained the scanning device 48 is switched to the set of blades 37, 38so that in the initial travel of the web through each step-by-stepmovement thereof from a period of dwell, the scanning device 48 willlook for a knife control element 47 on the label being scanned. If thescanning device detects a control element 47 it will send a signal tocause the unlatching of the set of blades 37, 38 as aforesaid, and if nocontrol element is detected the circuit remains inactive. Shortly afterthe period in which a control element 47 should be detected, if present,on the label being scanned, the electrical circuit is switched tocontrol the feed rolls of the feeding means and the imprinter 50. Whenthe scanning device now detects a control element 46, it willsimultaneously stop the feed rolls and actuate the imprinter to print acode number on the given area portion 51 of a label during the dwell ofthe web. The circuit is constructed so that if the scanning device doesnot send a signal as a result of its detection of a control element 46within a given period of time after such signal should have beenreceived and before the termination of the cycle of operation of themachine, the circuit operates to stop the machine.

The register control elements 46 and the knife control elements 47 areprovided on the label web W at the time the labels are printed thereonand may be in the form of punched holes, or in the form of suitableindicia printed on the web. If such control elements are to be in theform of punched holes, such holes are provided in the web in a knownmanner by the punching unit 16 of the printing press shown in FIG. 1 ofthe drawings after the labels have been printed on the web and aprotective coating has been applied to such web.

If the control elements 46, 47 are to be applied to the web in the formof printed indicia, such indicia may be visible to the human eye, or todetecting means under ambient light or light of a given wave length, orsuch indicia may be invisible to the human eye or to detecting meansunder ambient light, but visible under a light of a given wave length.Such indicia also may be composed of a combination of such visible andinvisible indicia, and whether visible or invisible as aforesaid may bedetectable by other means such as optical-electrical andmagnetic-electrical detecting means. Thus, the indicia may be composedof the visible printing inks employed in printing the labels and if suchindicia does not form a desired part of the printed label itself, thelatter is preferably located on the label web outside the areas of labelindicia thereon. Also, and especially in the case of verification, theindicia may be composed of characters which form part of the printedlabel and which may readily be recognized optically from the remainingprinted characters on the label. Further, in accordance with theinvention, the control elements may be applied to the label web withinks which are different from the inks usually employed in printing thelabels and have characteristics which enable them to be readilydistinguished by the scanning means from the usual printing inks. Forexample, it has been found that known magnetic or luminescent inks maybe employed for these purposes. The luminescent ink employed may be inthe form of an invisible fluorescent ink of a type such as are nowavailable to the art. Inks of this type cannot be seen by the human eyein ordinary daylight and may therefore be applied anywhere desired onthe printed label without regard to the label indicia printed thereon.Different kinds of these invisible luminescent inks may be recognized bydifferent photo tubes according to their spectral sensitivitycharacteristics and this quality may be taken advantage of to useparticular luminescent inks for different kinds of products. Thus, for agiven product a luminescent ink that would emit red light could beapplied to labels for such product. Accordingly, if labels carryingcontrol elements made of a luminescent ink having a different spectralcharacteristic were placed in the machine, the machine could not bestarted and the error in the use of the wrong labels would be detected.By this means label verification as well as control of openinginstrumentalities in the labeling machine can be developed according tothe requirements desired of the labeling machine in the uses thereof.The luminescent ink may also be a visible fluorescent ink of a type suchas is known to the art. Certain of these inks have the quality ofbecoming invisible when light is excluded and become excited undercertain spectral wave lengths, such as ultra violet light. It is alsopossible to use inks of the phosphorescent variety to good advantages onthe label webs.

In order to keep visual track of the registration between the visibleprinted inks employed in the label indicia and the control elements madeof invisible luminescent ink, there may be provided on the label web incombination with the invisible control elements, visible elements ormarks which will enable the press operator to be sure that the invisiblemark is being printed. This may be accomplished by providing theprinting press with a split ink fountain arranged to have both thevisible and invisible inks picked up by the offset plate. Thus, as shownin FIG. 11 of the drawings, the offset printing plate 21 picks up fromthe fountain portion 55 the invisible ink which is to be used to producethe control elements 46', 47' on the web W, and picks up from thefountain portion 56 the visible ink which is to make up the visibleportion of the mark, for instance, circles 57 printed along the marginof the web in registration with the invisible control elements 46' and47'. These visible register circles may be trimmed off the web in theslitting and rewinding unit 17 of the press or may be applied toportions of the web which are to be cut out when the labels are severedtherefrom in the label machine. As the labels are being printed with theinvisible inks they should be regularly examined by an ultra-violetlight testing device attached to the printing press so that theeffectiveness of the register mark can be checked out at the time of theprinting. This can be done on a stroboscopic basis with the testingdevice movable over the printing range so that the labels can be checkedout during the run. In order to get the stroboscopic light to functionproperly when the labels are not uniformly spaced, the light must betriggered by the register marks 46. This means that the register marks46 and the knife action marks 47 must be in different channels for thispurpose.

The scanning device which may be employed for labels having punchedholes preferably is an electronic pick-up device of the "look through"type in which the detecting beam of light passes through a punched holeto a receiver as the hole comes into registry with the device. Scanningdevices of the reflective type may be employed when the control elementsare printed on the web. When using the type of verification indicated inFIG. 18 of the drawings, the "look through" type of scanning is thesimplest approach because the ink spots will always be located on clear,unprinted portions of the paper, i.e., no opaque inks will be printed inthe areas used to print such verification spots or control marks. It hasalso been found, that in the use of luminescent inks which are to bedetected by their spectral characteristics, the "look through" type ofscanning device can be used to best advantage in connection withlabeling machines. In this method of detection for invisible controlelements, the light source for generating the particular wave lengthdesired for a given type of luminescent ink is on the side of the web onwhich the luminescent ink is printed, and pick-up tube having thenecessary qualities to receive the light passing through the paper islocated on the other side of the web so that the control elements passbetween such source and tube. When printing the control element to beused in connection with the "look through" method of detection, it isdesirable to print the invisible ink on a portion of the label where nosubstantial portion of the visible opaque inks used in printing thelabel indicia overlap the control element. It has been found practicalto make the size of the control element approximately 3/32 inch × 1/2inch, the 1/2 inch dimension being preferably across the direction ofmovement of the web.

FIG. 12 of the drawings illustrates a scanning device that has beenfound particularly advantageous in scanning luminescent control elementsby the aforesaid "look through" procedure. This scanning device includesa box-like base 60, to the top wall of which, is pivotally connected bymeans of a hinge 61, a box-like cover 62. The bottom of the cover 62 isopen and the end walls thereof are provided with slots 63 through whichthe label web W passes in its feed through the label machine. As the webtravels through the scanning device, it rests on the top wall of base 60which is provided with an opening of larger area than that of theluminescent control elements 64 provided on the label web. Mounted inthe cover 62 above such opening is a bulb 65 for creating the spectrallight beams of the desired wave length, for example, ultra-violet light.The light beams created by the bulb 65 are directed through a lense 66which concentrates the beams into an area substantially equal to thearea of the control elements 64 and causes a control element coming intoregistry therewith to visibly glow. The visible light created by theultra-violet light passing through a luminescent control element 64passes through the paper of the web and through the opening in the topwall of the base 60, and is picked up by a receiver of phototube 67located in the base 60 and contained in a metal cylinder 68 providedwith an opening 69 to permit the passage of such visible light to thereceiver. The interior walls of the base 60 are painted black and theconstruction of the base and cover is such that substantially allambient light is prevented from entering into the interior of thescanning device. Power for the bulb 65 and the phototube 67 is suppliedfrom a power supply box 70 which also amplifies the signal received fromthe phototube 67 and sends it to a solenoid such as the solenoids 71 and110 provided in the label machine construction shown in FIG. 13 of thedrawings.

FIG. 13 of the drawing shows by way of example the invention hereinembodied in a label machine essentially similar in construction to thelabeling machines described and illustrated in the Van Hofe Pats.2,525,741, issued Oct. 10, 1950 and 3,140,214 issued July 7, 1964. Likethe machines of the aforesaid patents, the instant machine includes aconveyor for advancing the containers, such as the bottles 75, in singlefile to the right, as viewed in FIG. 13, and past the label applyingstation 76 in the machine at which the labels L are applied to thebottles. The labels are applied to the bottles from an endless conveyoror drum 77 which carries the labels to such station. The labels are fedto the drum 77 from a single source or roll 78 through a pick-upmechanism which comprises a rotatable cylinder 79 and which transfersthe labels to the drum 77 at a transfer station 80. The drum 77 andcylinder 79 are essentially similar in construction to the correspondingdrum and cylinder in the apparatus shown in the aforesaid Von Hofepatents and cooperate in the same manner to transmit, ready and applythe labels to the bottles. The attachment of the labels to the bottlesis completed in the same manner disclosed in the aforesaid patents.

As in the labeling apparatus shown in the aforesaid patents, the drum 77is rotated continuously by mechanism which includes a driven verticalshaft 83 and which has connected thereto a gear 84 that meshes with andcontinuously drives a bevel gear 85 provided on one end of a rotatableshaft 86. Affixed to the other end of shaft 86 is a gear 87 whichdrivingly engages a gear 88 secured to a horizontal cam shaft 89.Mounted on one end of shaft 89 is a cylindrically-shaped cam 90 which isconnected to and is designed to drive the cylinder 79 with anintermittent rotational movement. The continuously rotating cam shaft 89is also provided with a cam 91 to the strap of which is connected thelower end of a link 92 and which advances and retracts such linkvertically as the shaft 89 rotates to swing a vacuum label transferdevice 93 about a pivotal axis 94. The label transfer device 93 receivesa severed label L from the cutting mechanism generally designated 95 andtransfers it to the cylinder 79 in the manner indicated by the arrow 96.

The continuously rotating cam shaft 89 is provided with a second cam 100which is connected by links 101, 102 to one end of the cutting blades 35mounted for pivotal movement on a shaft 103 that is secured in a givenposition for a particular operation of the machine. As has beenpreviously described the blade 35 cooperates with a cutting blade 36 tosever the label web W whenever blade 35 is actuated by the cam 100through the links 101 and 102. As has also been described, the set ofblades 35, 36 have associated therewith a set of blades 37, 38 which aremounted for movement as a unit along the direction of travel of the webto adjust for different widths of cut. To accomplish this adjustment,blade 37 which is slidably mounted on the pivot shaft 103, is moved inone direction or the other on such shaft 103 through a manually operablemicrometer device 104 which is also utilized to secure the blades inadjusted position for cutting out of the web the increments 44 providedtherein (compare the web shown in FIGS. 10 and 13). The set of blades35, 36 and 37, 38 in their adjusted relation are movable as a unit alongthe length of the web to vary the bottom portion of the label on thearticle to which it is applied. The operation of the pivotal blade 37 ofthe set is controlled by a latch 105 which normally engages with a lug106 provided on the end of blade 37 to prevent pivotal movement of suchblade about the pivot shaft 103. The latch 105 is pivotally mounted on afixed shaft 107 and is provided with an arm 108 connected by a link to asolenoid 110. The solenoid is connected by wiring 111 to the powersupply box 70. It will be understood from the previous description that,when in a cycle of operation of the machine, the electrical circuit isswitched to control the knife and a signal is received by the powersupply box 70 from the phototube 67 of the scanning device as a resultof a knife control element 47 in FIG. 10 passing through the ultravioletlight beams projected toward the label web, such signal is amplified inthe power supply box 70 and sent through the wires 111 to solenoid 110causing it to pull down link 109 and pivot latch 105 about pivot shaft107 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 13, to its unlatched position,thereby releasing blade 37. Blade 37 is connected to blade 35 by aspring 112 which is sufficiently strong to pivot blade 37 to cut thelabel web when blade 35 is actuated to perform its cutting operation.This simultaneous cutting action of blades 35 and 37 will cut anincrement 44 from the web and sever the leading or terminal label fromthe web. After a given time interval solenoid 111 is deenergized andlatch 105 swings back into engagement with the lug 106 under theinfluence of spring 113 to render the set of blades 37, 38 inoperativeuntil the next knife control element is detected by the scanning device48.

The continuously rotating can shaft 89 is provided with a third cam 115which is adjustably connected by a link 116 to one arm of a lever 117mounted for oscillating movement about the axis of a shaft 118. Theother arm of lever 117 is connected to the lower end of a rack 119engaged with a pinion 120 provided on the shaft 121 of a driven web feedroll 122. It will thus be understood that as cam shaft 89 continuouslyrotates feed roll 122 will be rotatably reciprocated through cam 115,lever 117, rack 119 and pinion 120. When the feed roll 122 is rotated inthe direction of feed of the web W, its associated feed roll 123 will beclosed or engaged therewith to draw the label web from the supply roll78 and advance it toward the cutting mechanism as indicated by the arrow124. The periods of dwell in the tape are attained by withdrawing thefeed roll 123 from cooperative engagement with roll 122 and during suchperiods roll 122 will be rotated in the opposite direction. The feedroll 123 is rotatably supported on a pair of arms 125 secured to a shaft126. One of the arms 125 is L-shaped and connected by a link 127 to thearmature of the solenoid 71 which is connected by electric wiring 128 tothe power box 70 and which, as has been previously described, isactuated by a signal from the power box to lift the feed roll 123 everytime a register control element 46 in FIG. 10 comes into registry withthe scanning device 48. As has previously been indicated, the power box70 contains electrical and/or mechanical means in a manner known to theart for switching the electrical circuit at given intervals so thatsignals transmitted thereto by the scanning device as a result ofreading either a control element 46 or a control element 47, will beused to control either the roll feed solenoid 71 or the knife controlsolenoid 110, respectively. As has been previously indicated, any formof scanning device suitable for scanning the particular control elementsthat are provided on the web may be used, and by way of example, therehas been shown in the construction of FIG. 13, the scanning device ofFIG. 12 which, as has bben described, has been designed in accordancewith the invention to control the advancement and cutting of a label webW provided with luminescent control elements.

While in the showing of FIG. 13, the upper blades 35, 37 are illustratedas the blades that are actuated to perform the cutting operations, itwill be understood that the construction may be modified to have theblades 36, 38 actuated to perform such operations as is illustrated inFIGS. 4-9 of the drawings. Also when the increments to be cut out of thelabel web by the two sets of blades are relatively large due to thewidening of the gap between such two sets of blades, a problem arises inconnectoin with the feed of the label web, namely, the tendency of thesevered end of the web to drop into the space between the two sets ofblades on the next advance movement of the web. This problem is solvedin accordance with the invention by providing a removable web supportingplate between the lower blades 36, 38 of the two sets thereof. Thus, asis shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the removable plate 130 may be locatedbetween the spaced actuatable blades 36, 38 so that its upper surfacesupports the label web in its path of feed. The upper surface of plate130 has a width approximately equal to the width of the space betweenthe blades 36, 38 and may remain stationary during the operations ofsuch blades; the cut chips 31' being removed upwardly between the blades35, 37 with the aid of vacuum as shown in FIG. 7. As is shown in FIGS.14 to 17 of the drawings, the plate 130' may be associated withstationary blades 36', 38' or die members which cooperate to support thelabel web W in its feed between the two sets of cutting devices as isshown in FIG. 14 of the drawings. Preferably, also, the plate 130' isprovided with suction passages 131 which are connected to a source ofsuction composed of a valve operable in a manner known to the art tocontrol the vacuum in such plate passages 131. The plate 130' is in thenature of a movably mounted finger and is associated with means to movesuch finger from a raised position in which it is supporting the labelweb (FIG. 14) to a depressed or retracted position in which such fingeris located in a vacuum tube 132 connected to said source of suction sothat the vacuum therein is continuous. The finger or plate 130' movesthrough an opening 133 in the tube 132 and is formed to close suchopening in the raised position of finger 130'. It will be thusunderstood, that when the finger 130' is in its raised position itsupper surface and the upper surfaces of the dies 36', 38' will be inalignment to support the label web in its feed to advance the terminallabel 49 into proper registration with the cutting mechanism. Duringsuch feed of the web, suction will be cut off to the finger 130' and thevacuum tube 132 will be sealed by such finger so that the label web willnot be disturbed in its feeding movement. When the label 49 is properlyregistered and the cutting mechanism operated as previously describedand as is shown in FIG. 15 to cut the increment 31' from the web, thepassages 131 in the finger 130' will be connected to the source ofsuction so that the increment is secured by vacuum to the finger 130'.As the blades 35, 37 raise, the finger 130' is lowered into the vacuumtube 132 pulling the severed increment 31' into the vacuum tube as shownin FIG. 16 of the drawings. The suction to finger 130' is then cut off,enabling the severed increment 31' to float off in the vacuum tube 132which removes it from the machine. The severed label will be transferredby the vacuum device 93 to the feeding cylinder 79 in the mannerpreviously explained. The finger 130' with the vacuum cut off will thenbe raised to assist the leading end of the label web in its feed acrossthe gap as shown in FIG. 17 of the drawings.

FIG. 18 of the drawings illustrates another arrangement of the controlelements 46, 47 and the manner in which the space increments 44 of FIG.10 may be employed for the location of the label verification markswhether constituted of punched holes, or of a visible, or invisible ink.The strip of web shown in FIG. 18 includes as in FIG. 10 of thedrawings, two repeat lengths 40 and 41 each provided with five labels42, 42' and 43, 43' respectively. Associated with each label along onelongitudinal edge of the web is a control element 46 for controlling theregistration of the labels with the knife blades. The control elements47 for controlling the operation of the knife blades are located alongthe other longitudinal edge of the web. The increment areas 44' and 45'of the repeat lengths 40 and 41, respectively, and the increment areas44", 45" of such repeat lengths, respectively, are utilized for thelocation of the label verification marks 144, 145, respectively. It willbe noted that there is one mark 144 and one mark 145 in each repeatlength of the web and that the marks 144 and 145 are offsetlongitudinally. Accordingly, all of the labels in each repeat length canbe verified by scanning the two marks in each repeat length and both ofsuch marks must be scanned in order to provide proper verification.The + marks 146 in the increment areas 44', 44", 45', and 45" indicateother possible positions in which the verifying control elements orsymbols may be located in such areas. Located in alignment with thecontrol elements 47 is a control element 147 in each repeat length 40and 41 for triggering the verifying device to read both increment areasin each repeat length simultaneously. Inasmuch as the control marks 144and 145 are offset longitudinally the verifying device will be providedwith two electric eyes for the reading of such marks.

It will be understood from the foregoing, that as the web W is fed in astep-by-step fashion to the left as viewed in FIG. 18, the controlelements 46 will be scanned by one electric eye which will control thefeed of the web to cause the trailing edges of the terminal labels tostop at the line of cut of the cutting blades. Another electric eye willscan the control elements 47 to effect the unlatching of the set ofblades 37, 38 to cut away the increments 44', 44", 45', 45", etc. Thissecond electric eye will also scan the mark 147 provided on each repeatlength of web to cause the two electric eyes provided to read the marks144 and 145, to read the latter simultaneously before the firstincrement 44' or 45" is cut out by the set of blades. As only one ofthese control marks 147 occurs in every repeat length of the web, thetwo electric eyes in the verification scanner must be triggered to readsuch marks 144, 145 just after the knife electric eye gets the signalfrom the armk 47 associated with the first increment 44' or 45' in therepeat length that is coming up. If the two verification eyes find themarks 144 and 145 the machine will continue its normal operations.Should the marks or control elements 144 and 145 not be found by theverification device, the means associated therewith will operate to stopthe machine. The second knife control elements 47 associated with theincrements 44" and 45" do not have a verifying control elementassociated therewith so that the verification scanner will not bereadied for operation after such scanned elements 47 have been read. Theabove referred to four electrical eyes, or other scanning means, such asthe scanning means shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings, may be contained ina single scanning device 48 and instead of utilizing an electricalcircuit switching means in the power box 70, the electrical circuit ofthe latter may be constructed in a known manner, to send the amplifiedelectrical impulses from the scanning means associated with the controlelements 46 directly to the roll feed solenoid 71, to seal the amplifiedelectrical impulses from the scanning means associated with the controlelements 47 and 147 directly to the knife solenoid 110, and to send theamplified impulses resulting from the combined readings of theverification marks 144 and 145 by the two scanning means associatedtherewith, to either the roll feed solenoid 71, or to a switchcontrolling the motor circuit, or to a light or sound signal, suchswitch, light, or sound device being indicated generally in FIG. 13 ofthe drawings by the reference numeral 71'.

When the control or verification marks are constituted of magnetic ink,the scanning device 48 is preferably constituted of one or more magneticdetectors, their number depending on whether such marks are contained inone or more lines extending longitudinally of the label web. As is shownin FIG. 19 of the drawings, the scanning device may include a base 150over which the web W is drawn in the direction of the arrows between twoside guides 151 for maintaining the moving web in proper registry withthe magnetic detector or detectors. A pole piece 152 in the form of apermanent magnet is arranged to overlie one or more longitudinal linesof marks on the web in position with respect to the web so that as thelatter passes therebeneath the magnetic ink in the characters or marks156 constituted thereof will become magnetized. The web then passesbeneath a split-ring-shaped highly permeable magnetic core 153 having acoil 154 wound around its central portion. The coil 154 is connected tothe power supply box 70. It will be understood that as the magnetizedink material in a control or verifying character or mark passes by thenarrow space between the legs of the core 153 in the feed of the labelweb, the lines of force created by the coil 154 will be disturbed to theextent that an electrical pulse is created. This pulse is conducted tothe power box 70 where it is amplified and then transmitted by the wires155 to a suitable device, such as the solenoids 71 or 110 or the motorcircuit switch, or signal device 71'.

When the labels are printed so that they can be checked by opticalcharacter recognition as previously indicated, it is necessary toutilize a still different type of scanning device. It might be pointedout at this time, that this method enables the checking of the labelswithout the necessity of applying to the labels verification controlelements or special coding characters and of maintaining complicated andcostly records of the different coding systems used. For instance, as isindicated in FIG. 20 of the drawings, if a production line in apharmaceutical plant is putting out a product that varies only in thestrength of solution, say 5%, 10% and 15% solutions, the labelingmachine may be set up to optically recognize in the first instance thecharacter 5, and in the second instance the character 10, and in thethird instance the character 15. Thus, if by any chance the labelsbecome mixed in a roll, the labeling machine would be arranged to shutdown if it had been set to recognize the character 5 and 10 or 15appeared. In those labels that do not bear a simple numeral to scan, theoptical character recognizer could be set to read the title of thelabel, such as the term "Aspirin." If by chance an "Acetanilide" label,or any label that did not carry the term "Aspirin" in the particularfont of type used on the particular "Aspirin" label, became spliced inthe label roll, the machine would be shut down, or the operator'sattention would be called in any desired manner to the fact thatsomething is amiss with the labels. Also the amount of the label whichthe optical character recognizer or scanner would be arranged torecognize will depend to some extent on the type of material beinglabeled and the various ways in which it is packaged. For instance,Aspirin is packaged in various flavors, varying weights, and differentquantities. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to have the scannerinclude other portions or the whole of the label in its operation. Forexample, the scanner might be set to recognize the word "Aspirin" in agiven size and font of type, the weight of a tablet might be set as anumber of a given size and font of type, and the characters indicatingthe flavor and quantity of the tablets in a container might also be setup in given sizes and fonts of type.

Considering now the disclosures of FIGS. 20 and 21 of the drawings, FIG.20 shows a label web W having labels provided with the previouslydiscussed register control elements 46 to control the feed of the web sothat the labels will properly register with the cutting mechanism in thestep-by-step feed of the web, as has been explained. The labels shownare for containers filled with a 5% saline solution, but throughinadvertance, one label for a 10% saline solution has been spliced inthe roll. The scanning unit has been arranged to scan the area occupiedby "Saline Solution 5%" and to recognize these particular characters, sothat when it scans the area occupied by "Saline Solution 10%" it willreject "10%" as an unrecognizable character and call the attention ofthe operator to this discrepency in the manner above indicated.

The scanning device employed for this purpose may be constructed toemploy any one of the several optical-electronic systems now used in theoptical processing of records, checks, bills, etc. Generally, as shownin FIG. 21 of the drawings, such a device would include a label websupport 150 and side guides 151 (note FIG. 19) to properly register thelabels with the scanning tube 160. The tube 160 may be a known type ofelectronic scanning tube known as a vidicon and capable of opticallyscanning the area of the labels containing the characters "SalineSolution 5%". The vidicon is connected by electric wiring 161 to acomparator 162 of known construction and known as an image orthocon. Thecomparator contains a scanning tube arranged by the acid of electronicoscillators in a known manner, to scan in synchronism with the tube 160a master label 163 which is a correct copy of the labels in the web Wbeing checked and which is preferably placed face down on the top of thecomparator, as indicated. In the event there is any different betweenthe label in the web W, as in the case of the label marked "10%", andthe master copy 163, a pulse is sent out through the output wires 164 tocause the actuation of the roll feed solenoid 71 or a motor circuitswitch and/or signal device as indicated in FIG. 13 by the numeral 71'.

FIG. 21 of the drawings also illustrates additional features of theinvention relating to the use of counting devices in the verifyingcircuit. Due to the ever increasing controls being applied by the drugmanufacturer in an effort to eliminate errors as well as to prevent thepilfering of genuine labels from a reputable drug manufacturer and therisk of getting them into the hands of people working outside the paleof government control, it is necessary to keep an accurate count onevery label issued by the label control group to the manufacturingfloor. In order to exercise this type of control it has been foundnecessary to issue a counted roll of labels and to keep a constant checkon the number of such labels as they are being used in the labelingmachine. This check on the number of labels must cover not only thelabels that were verified and used, but also the number of labels thatwere rejected.

Further, in the practical operation of a labeling machine it has beenfound that it is not always advisable to shut the machine down when alabel has been rejected. This is especially true on very high speedlines. In such instances, in accordance with the invention, theverifying mechanism is so arranged that the labeling machine continuesto run when a label has been rejected, but the signal is given to theattention of the labeling machine attendant who visually searches forthe rejected label attached to a labeled article. In order to faciliatefinding the rejected label the invention further contemplates providingmeans to mark the rejected label so that it can be readily distinguishedfrom the rest of the labels, as will hereinafter be more fullyexplained.

To keep track of the labels scanned, the invention contemplatesincorporating in the control circuit for the comparator 162 shown inFIG. 21 of the drawings, leads 165 connected to an electrically operatedcounter 166. This connection is such that when a label is brought to apause in the step-by-step feed thereof under the control of the elements46, a pulse is transmitted from the comparator 162 to the counter 166 tocause the latter to advance one count. This counter 166 therefore keepstrack of the number of labels which are scanned during the productionrun. However, in the scanning process it may be found that certain ofthe labels are not recognizable by the comparator 162. This will resultin the comparator sending a pulse into the wires 164 which, as has beenpreviously explained, may either signal the attendant in any suitablemanner, as by the signal device 71' in FIG. 13, or actuate a device inthe labeling machine to control its operation. This pulse is alsotransmitted to wires 167 which in turn activates a counting device 168for keeping track of the number of rejected labels. At the end of therun therefore, the attendant will have a reading of the total number oflabels scanned and the total number of labels rejected, which numberswill give by subtracting the one from the other, the total number oflabels or finished articles. Also by subtracting the total number oflabels used from the quantity issued by the control group, the numberleft on the roll can be arrived at. The label control group then checksthe number of returned labels, and if all totals check out the labelsare completely accounted for.

The means provided in accordance with the invention to identify rejectedlabels so they can readily be found by the labeling machine attendant,is also shown in FIG. 21 of the drawings. As shown, such mechanismincludes a solenoid 170 connected to the wires 164 which carry thesignal that a label is rejected, by another pair of wires 169. The core171 of the solenoid is connected to a movable lever 172 which is pivotedon a shaft 178 that is in turn mounted on a fixed bracket 177 attachedto a part of the labeling machine. Mounted on an arm of the level 172 isan aniline marking pencil 176 of a color that will be different from thecolors used in printing the labels, so that any mark made by the pencil176 will be readily discernible. Also attached to the lever 172 is aspring pin 173 to which is attached one end of a tension spring 174, theother end of which is hooked in an eyebolt 175 mounted on a fixed partof the labeling machine.

From the forgoing, it will be understood that when the scanning tube 160is called upon to scan a label that has been presented to such tube, thecomparator 162 sends a pulse to the wires 165. Should a label bepresented to the tube 160 that is not recognizable by the comparator 162a second pulse is transmitted to the wires 164, 167 and 169. We havealready explained the action of the pulse in wires 164 and 167. Thepulse in the wires 169 will energize the solenoid 170 causing the core171 to be moved and thereby rotating the lever 172 against the pull ofthe spring 174 to force the tip of the aniline ink pencil 176 intocontact with the rejected label to put an identifying mark on therejected label. As soon as the pulse dies and the solenoid isdeenergized, the spring 174 will return the aniline ink pencil 176 toits normal retracted position in which is out of contact with the labelweb. As previously explained, the distinguishing mark placed on therejected label by the pencil 176 will readily be recognized by theoperator whose attention has been called to the existence of such alabel by the operated signal. While I have hereinabove described andillustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit of theinvention and that certain of the features thereof may be employed tocontrol means in a labeling machine other than the feeding and cuttingmeans described. Thus, the control elements and scanning means describedmay be employed solely for label verification and may be utilized forthis purpose to control the operation of the labeling machine, or evenwith mechanism other than a labeling machine.

What is claimed is:
 1. The method of labeling containers for a givenproduct, which comprises feeding toward the place for application of thelabels to the containers, a continuous length of label web havingvisibly printed .[.thereon.]. .Iadd.on one side thereof .Iaddend.labels.[.for.]. such given product and having .Iadd.on said one web side.Iaddend.in association with each of such labels at given localizedareas of the web a control element .Iadd.which in such areadistinguishes such label from labels of the same size for otherproducts, said control element being .Iaddend.employed in printing thelabel indicia and having .[.an.]. .Iadd.a visibly .Iaddend.butdetectable characteristic peculiar to such ink, and as such label web ismoving toward the place of label application exposing .Iadd.said labeledone side of .Iaddend.the web to scanning means capable of detecting thecontrol elements .Iadd.apart from the label indicia .Iaddend.through thepeculiar characteristic of the ink forming such control elements andupon detection thereof creating control signals, and utilizing suchcontrol signals to exert at a place in the path of movement of thelabels beyond the place where said control elements are detected, aselective controlling action on the labels resulting in a sorting of thelabels having such control elements thereon from labels not providedwith such control elements.
 2. The method of labeling containers for agiven product, which comprises feeding toward the place for applicationof the labels to such containers, a continuous length of label webhaving provided thereon given repeat lengths of labels with certain ofthe adjacent labels on said label web being in abutting relation andothers of the adjacent labels on said label web being spaced by equalincrements, and said label web having provided thereon a first controlelement associated with each of said labels and a second control elementassociated with each of said increments, successively scanning saidfirst and second control elements in the order in which they appear onthe label web in the feed of the web toward said place of label web inthe feed of the web toward said place of label application andgenerating a control signal for each control element detected by saidscanning means, using the control signals created by detecting saidfirst control elements to successively register the trailing ends of theterminal labels on the web with a first label cutting means by controlof said web feeding operation, and using the control signals created bydetecting said second control elements to render operable a second labelcutting means positioned relative to said first cutting means to cut thetrailing end of any increment connected to the trailing end of aterminal label registered with said first cutting means, andtransferring the severed labels to the place for application thereof tothe containers for the given product.
 3. The method of labelingcontainers for a given product, which comprises feeding toward the placeof application of the labels to the containers carrying such product, acontinuous length of label web having printed thereon labels for suchgiven product, a portion at least of the printed material of each labelcontaining characters optically recognizable, .Iadd.and distinguishingsuch label from labels of the same size for other products, .Iaddend.andas such web progresses toward the place of label application exposingthe web to a scanning means capable of optically verifying thecharacters in each label to be recognized .Iadd.as distinguishing suchlabel from labels of the same size for other products apart from theremaining printed material on such label.Iaddend., and depending uponsuch verification thereof creating control signals, utilizing suchcontrol signals to exert at a place beyond the place where suchcharacters have been verified, a selective controlling action on thelabels resulting in a sorting of the labels having such verifiablecharacters from labels not provided with such characters, successivelysevering from the web those labels which have been optically recognized,and transferring the severed labels to the place for application thereofto the containers for the given product.
 4. The method of labelingpharmaceutical products comprising the following steps, printing on acontinuous web repeat lengths of labels for a given product containingthe specifications of the product in recognizable characters, windingthe printed web into a roll and .[.visually.]. examining the printedindividual labels to detect printed labels that are not up to a setstandard of printing, cutting the continuous web and removing thesubstandard labels from the web together with all labels which areassociated therewith in at least one repeat length so that the labels inthe remaining cut ends of the web will, when such ends are spliced, formone complete repeat length, splicing the remaining web ends to form suchcomplete repeat length, rewinding the spliced web into a roll, placingthe roll of spliced labels in a labeling machine, preparing the labelingmachine to accept labels bearing the specifications in the recognizablecharacters used, advancing the web in the labeling machine, presenting acontainer containing the pharmaceutical product to be labeled, scanningthe labels on the web one at a time for acceptable specifications anddepending upon the acceptableness thereof creating control signals,severing an acceptable label from the web and applying the severed labelto the container when a label is presented that checks out as a labelbearing the specification in recognizable characters for which thelabeling machine was prepared to accept, and utilizing such controlsignals beyond the place where the label specifications are scanned toexert a selective controlling action whenever a label is presented thecharacters of which are not recognizable as they are scanned to cause asorting of the labels preventing the passing of unacceptably labeledproducts.
 5. The method of labeling containers for a given product,which comprises feeding toward the place for application of the labelsto such containers, a continuous length of label web having providedthereon given repeat lengths of labels with certain of the adjacentlabels in each repeat length being in given spaced relation and otherlabels in such repeat length being differently positioned relative tolabels adjacent thereto and said label web having certain controlelements associated with each of the labels in each of such repeatlengths and other control elements located at positions dependent on thespacing between certain of the adjacent labels in such repeat lengths,locating means for scanning the control elements in back of the websevering means a distance at least equal to one repeat length of theweb, successively scanning each of the control elements in the order inwhich they appear on the label web in the feed of the web toward thesevering means and said place of label application and generating asignal for each control element detected by such scanning means thenutilizing such successive signals to selectively apply to the web asimilar number of severing cuts in single and multiple relationdependent on the different spacings of the labels to successively severthe leading scanned labels therefrom so that they are all of the samesize irrespective of their relation on the web, and transferring thesevered labels to the place for application thereof to the containersfor the given product.
 6. In a label machine, feed means for feedingthrough the machine a continuous length of label web having printed.[.thereon.]. .Iadd.on one side thereof .Iaddend.labels for containersof a given product and a control element in association with each ofsuch labels, the label indicia .Iadd.being peculiar to such givenproduct and .Iaddend.being printed with visible ink, and the controlelements being .Iadd.located at given localized areas of the web and insuch areas distinguishing such labels from labels of the same size forother products, and the control elements being .Iaddend.printed with inkdifferent from that of the label indicia and having an unapparent, butdetectable characteristic peculiar to such ink, means constructed andarranged to scan the web for such control elements at a place along thepath of feed of the label web and including means capable of detectingthe control elements .Iadd.apart from the label indicia .Iaddend.throughsaid peculiar characteristic of the ink forming such control elementsand dependent upon detection thereof creating control signals, aselectively operable device located beyond the place where said controlelements are detected for exerting a selective controlling action on thelabels resulting in a sorting of the labels having such control elementsthereon from labels not provided with such control elements, meanscontrolled by said control signals for selectively operating saidoperable device, cutting means for severing labels from the web, andtransfer means for transferring labels severed by said cutting means toa place for application of such labels to said containers.
 7. In a labelmachine, feed means for feeding through the machine a continuous lengthof label web having provided thereon given repeat lengths of labels withcertain of the adjacent labels on said web being in abutting relationand others of the adjacent labels on said web being spaced by equalincrements, and said label web having provided thereon a first controlelement associated with each of said labels and a second control elementassociated with each of said increments, scanning means constructed andarranged to scan the web for said first and second control elements andincluding means automatically operative to generate a control signal foreach control element detected by said scanning means, a first labelcutting means for applying severing cuts to the web, a second cuttingmeans for applying a severing cut to the web a distance spaced in backof the line of cut of said first label cutting means equal to the widthof one of said increments, means controlled by the control signalscreated by detecting said first control elements to cause said feedingmeans to successively register the trailing ends of the terminal labelson the web with the line of cut of said first label cutting means, meanscontrolled by the control signals created by detecting said secondcontrol elements to render said second cutting means operable to cut thetrailing end of any increment connected to the trailing end of aterminal label registered with said first cutting means, and means fortransferring the severed labels to the place for application thereof tothe containers for the given product.
 8. In a label machine as definedin claim 7, in which said first cutting means is secured in a givenposition relative to the line of feed of the label web for a given sizeof label, and including means supporting said second cutting means formovement relative to said first cutting means along the line of feed ofthe label web.
 9. In a label machine as defined in claim 7, includingmeans for automatically operating said first cutting means in each cycleof operation of the machine, latching means normally rendering saidsecond cutting means inoperative, said means controlled by the controlsignals created by said second control elements controlling saidlatching means, and means connecting said second cutting means in itsoperable condition to said operating means whereby the lattersimultaneously actuate said first and second cutting means in theoperable condition of said second cutting means.
 10. In a label machineas defined in claim 7, in which said scanning means is spaced in back ofsaid cutting means at least one repeat length of said label web, andincluding printing means positioned in back of said cutting means morethan one repeat length of said label web and so located relative to thelabels on such repeat lengths as to come into register successively withthe same given portion of successive labels on the web on registrationof the terminal labels with said first cutting means, and means operableto actuate said printing means to print on a given label portionregistered therewith, said operable means being operated by a signalfrom said scanning means wherenever the latter detects one of said firstcontrol elements.
 11. In a label machine as defined in claim 7,including pneumatic means positioned between said first and secondcutting means to remove an increment cut from the label web by such twocutting means.
 12. In a label machine as defined in claim 7, includingweb supporting means located between said first and second cutting meansand operable to support the leading end of the web in its movementacross the space between said cutting means after a cutting operation bysaid second cutting means.
 13. In a label machine as defined in claim12, in which said web supporting means is movable between said first andsecond cutting means to transfer a severed increment from its positionfor discharge thereof, and pneumatic means coacting with said movableweb supporting means to remove from the machine the severed increment onsuch means.
 14. In a label machine as defined in claim 7, in which saidscanning means is spaced in back of said cutting means at least onerepeat length of the label web.
 15. In a label machine, feed means forfeeding through the machine a continuous length of label web havingprovided thereon given repeat lengths of labels for containers of aparticular product and with at least two successive labels in eachrepeat length separated by an increment of web material to be removedfrom the web, and said label web having provided thereon a first controlelement associated with each of said labels, a second control elementassociated with each of said increments, and a third control elementlocated in a given location within each of said increments andconstituting a label verifying mark for all of the labels in the repeatlength containing such increment, scanning means constructed andarranged to scan the web for each of said control elements, a firstlabel cutting means for applying severing cuts to the web, a secondcutting means for removing said increments from the web, a first meansoperated by said scanning means on detection thereby of said firstcontrol elements to cause said feeding means to successively registerthe trailing ends of the terminal labels on the web with the line of cutof said first label cutting means, a second means operated by saidscanning means on detection thereby of said second control elements torender said second cutting means operable to remove said increments andthe third control elements located thereon, and third means operated bysaid scanning means to render said label machine inoperative to applylabels when said scanning means finds an increment without a properlylocated third control element, and means for transferring the labelssevered by said cutting means to a place of application to containers.16. In a label machine, feed means for feeding through the machine acontinuous length of label web having provided thereon repeat lengths oflabels for containers of a particular product and with at least twoincrements of web material to be removed from the web separatingsuccessive labels in each repeat length, and said label web havingprovided thereon a first control element associated with each of saidlabels, a second control element associated with each of saidincrements, and third control elements located in given locations withineach of said increments, the third control elements within said twoincrements in each repeat length being located to provide a combinationunique with respect to the particular labels in such repeat length forsaid product and different from such a combination for labels for adifferent product, a first label cutting means for applying severingcuts to the web, a second cutting means for removing said incrementsfrom the web, a first means operated by said scanning means on detectionthereby of said first control elements to cause said feeding means tosuccessively register the trailing ends of the terminal labels on theweb with the line of cut of said first label cutting means, a secondmeans operated by said scanning means on detection thereby of saidsecond control elements to render said second cutting means operable toremove said increments and the third control elements located thereon,and third means operated by said scanning means to render said labelmachine inoperative to apply labels when the combination of thirdcontrol elements on said two increments in any repeat length is not theproper one for the particular product, and means for transferring thelabels severed by said cutting means to a place of application to thecontainers for the said particular product.
 17. In a label machine asdefined in claim 16, in which said label web has provided thereon afourth control element in each repeat length thereof and said scanningmeans is constructed and arranged to scan the web for such fourthcontrol elements, and means operated each time a fourth control elementis read by said scanning means to render said scanning means operativeto read simultaneously the third control elements located on the twoincrements in such repeat length of labels.
 18. In a labeling machine,feed means for feeding through the machine a continuous length of labelweb having printed thereon labels for containers of a given product andeach label containing optically recognizable printed characters.Iadd.which distinguish such labels from labels of the same size forother products .Iaddend.means constructed and arranged to optically scanthe web for such optically recognizable characters .Iadd.fordistinguishing such labels from labels of the same size for otherproducts .Iaddend.and including means capable of detecting suchcharacters .Iadd.apart from the remaining printed material forming suchlabels .Iaddend.and depending upon such detection thereof creatingcontrol signals, a selectively operable device for exerting acontrolling action on the labels beyond the place where said opticalscanning means are located resulting in a sorting of the labels havingsuch printed characters from labels not provided with said printedcharacters, means controlled by .[.sad.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.controlsignals for selectively operating said operable device, cutting meansfor severing labels from the web, and transfer means for transferringlabels severed by said cutting means to a place for application of suchlabels to said containers.
 19. In a label machine, feed means forfeeding through the machine a continuous length of label web havinglabels provided thereon so that the distances between certain of theadjacent labels on the web are different from the distances betweenother adjacent labels on the web, a first label cutting means forapplying severing cuts to the web between adjacent labels thereof, asecond cutting means for applying severing cuts to the web betweenadjacent labels thereof and spaced apart from the cuts applied by saidfirst cutting means, and means operable to selectively actuate saidfirst and second cutting means in singular and multiple relation atdifferent intervals in accordance with the spacing relation of adjacentlabels on said web.
 20. In a label machine, feed means for feedingthrough the machine a continuous length of label web having labelsprovided thereon so that the distance between certain of the adjacentlabels on the web are different from the distances between otheradjacent labels on the web, a first label cutting means for applyingsevering cuts to the web between adjacent labels thereof, a secondcutting means for applying severing cuts to the web between adjacentlabels thereof and spaced apart from the cuts applied by said firstcutting means, means supporting said first and second cutting means formovement relative to each other and operable to vary the widths of thespaces between the cuts made thereby and means operable to selectivelyactuate said first and second cutting means in accordance with thespacing relation of adjacent labels on said web.
 21. In a labelingmachine, means to feed and apply labels to articles, means for detectingdetectable matter associated with each of such labels, a first recordingmeans associated with the detecting means to record the number of timeslabels are presented thereto, and a second recording means controlled bythe detecting means and operable by the latter to record the number oflabels failing to have the detectable matter associated therewith. 22.In a labeling machine, means to support a roll of label web, means tofeed successively from a roll mounted on said supporting means and alonga path through the labeling machine, the individual labels for a givenproduct and on each of which are printed while in the web form localizedareas of detectable matter constituted of a material different from theinks employed in printing the body of the labels, .Iadd.the labels beingpeculiar to such given product and the detectable matter in suchlocalized areas distinguishing such labels from labels of the same sizefor other products, .Iaddend.a detecting device capable of detectingsaid matter on each label, means to mount said detecting device at aplace along the path followed by said labels through the labelingmachine, said detecting device including means automatically operativeto detect the presence of said material apart from the ink employed inprinting the body of the label, and to create electrical impulses as aresult of such detection as said labels having said detectable materialthereon arrive at said place where said detecting device is mounted, anoperable device for exerting a selective controlling action on thelabels beyond the place where said detecting device is mounted resultingin a sorting of the labels having such detectable material thereon fromlabels not provided with such material in the said localized areasthereof, and means connected to said detecting device and said operabledevice and utilizing such created electrical impulses to control saidoperable device.
 23. In a label machine, means for feeding through themachine a continuous length of label web having provided thereon givenrepeat lengths of labels with certain of the adjacent labels on said webbeing in given spaced relation and other adjacent labels on the webbeing spaced differently than said certain adjacent labels, a labelsevering device having a pair of cutters selectively operable to producesingle and double cuts in successively removing the terminal labels fromthe web, and means for selectively operating said severing device tocause it to make single and double cuts dependent on the differentspacings of the labels and resulting in the said labels all being of thesame size irrespective of the spacing of the labels in the web.
 24. In alabel machine as defined in claim 23, including means located adjacentlyto said severing device to remove web material resulting from saidsevering operation as it is severed from the web.
 25. In a label machineas defined in claim 23, including means to control said feeding means,said feed control means and said severing means being positioned alongthe line of feed of said web substantially at least one repeat lengthapart.
 26. In a label machine, means for feeding through the machine acontinuous length of label web having provided thereon a series oflabels wherein certain of the adjacent labels thereof are connected byweb portions having different widths than the portions of the webconnecting other adjacent labels in such series, a selectively operablelabel severing device capable of severing by single and double cuts theterminal labels from the web, and means for selectively operating saidsevering device to cause it alternatively during the severing of theterminal labels to make cuts severing the web portions connecting suchterminal labels to the web and severing any web portions betweenadjacent labels from both the web and such labels.
 27. In a labelmachine as defined in claim 26 including means controlled by elementsprovided on the label web for controlling the operations of saidselectively operating means to effect such selective alternativeoperations of said severing device.
 28. In a labeling machine, means forfeeding through through the machine a continuous length of label webhaving certain of the adjacent labels provided thereon spaceddifferently than other adjacent labels thereon, a label severing devicefor successively removing the terminal labels from the web, saidsevering device being selectively operable to make alternatively in theoperations thereof single or double cuts in the web to cut the labelsuniformly regardless of the spacing relation between adjacent labels,and means responsive to the label positions on the web for selectivelyoperating said severing device to cut the labels uniformly.
 29. In alabeling machine as defined in claim 28, in which the labels areprovided on the label web in given repeat lengths with each repeatlength having certain of the labels in abutting relation and providedwith a nonlabeling increment of label web of a longitudinal dimensionsubstantially different than such dimension of the labels in such repeatlength, said severing device and said selective operating means beingconstructed and arranged to cause said severing device when actuated tocut to make alternatively single and multiple cuts in the web to cutfrom the web each of the labels and such increment in each repeatlength.
 30. In a label machine, feed means for feeding through themachine a continuous length of label web having labels of given lengthsprovided therein so that the distances between certain of the adjacentlabels on such web are different from the distances between otheradjacent labels on the web, and having control elements thereon relatedto such differences in the spacings between the labels on such web, andmeans including selectively operable severing means controlled by saidcontrol elements for making alternatively single and double cuts to makedifferent sized widths of cuts dependent on the different spacings ofthe labels so that in successive cutting operations thereof the labelsare separated in their given lengths from the web irrespective of thedifferent spacings therebetween.
 31. In a label machine as defined inclaim 30, in which the control elements on the web are two types, andsaid label separating means is controlled by such two control types toeffect cuts in the web related to the distances between said certainlabels and to the distances between said other labels.
 32. In a labelmachine, feed means for feeding through the machine a continuous lengthof label web having labels of given lengths provided therein so that thedistances between certain of the adjacent labels on such web aredifferent from the distances between other adjacent labels on the web,and having control elements thereon related to such differences in thespacings between the labels on such web, and means including selectivelyoperable severing means controlled by said control elements forseparating the labels in their given lengths from the web irrespectiveof the different spacings therebetween, said severing means comprising afirst cutting means for applying severing cuts to the web, a secondcutting means for applying severing cuts tot he web spaced apart fromthe cuts applied by said first cutting means, and means operable toactuate selectively said first and second cutting means to makealternatively single and double cuts in the web dependent on thespacings in the web between the labels. .Iadd.
 33. Labeling apparatusfor applying to product surfaces labels cut from a label tape printed onan offset printing press to have repeated series of labels, each of suchrepeat series being composed of a given number of labels and at leastone nonlabel section which is to be cut away from the web and thelabels, said at least one nonlabel section abutting at least one labelin each repeat series and spacing apart two labels on the web and theremaining labels in each repeat series not spaced by such a nonlabelsection on the web all abutting one another, said web being providedwith code indicia unequally spaced longitudinally thereon and includingfirst selectively positioned code indicia for controlling the severingof the labels therefrom and second selectively positioned code indiciafor controlling the severing of the nonlabel sections therefrom, saidapparatus including a labeling station, means for advancing productsurfaces to said label station, label applying means at said labelingstation, label tape severing means, means for feeding label tape to saidsevering means, means for controlling the intervals of the cutting ofthe labels and nonlabel sections from the label tape by said tapesevering means including label tape scanning means responsive to saidfirst selectively positioned code indicia on a label tape to cause thecutting of labels from the label tape by said severing means atintervals which as a whole are different but are equal during thecutting of abutting labels, and responsive to said second selectivelypositioned code indicia on a label tape to cause the cutting of nonlabelsections from the label tape by said severing means at intervals greaterthan said equal intervals, label transfer means to transfer cut labelsfrom said severing means to said applying means, and means for removingthe nonlabel sections cut by said severing means..Iaddend..Iadd. 34.Labeling apparatus for applying to product surfaces labels cut from alabel tape printed on an offset printing press to have repeated seriesof labels, each of such repeat series being composed of a given numberof labels and at least one nonlabel section which is to be cut away fromthe web and the labels, said at least one nonlabel section abutting atleast one label in each repeat series and spacing apart two labels onthe web and the remaining labels in each repeat series not spaced bysuch a nonlabel section on the web all abutting one another, said webbeing provided with code indicia unequally spaced longitudinally thereonand including first selectively positioned code indicia for controllingthe severing of the labels therefrom and second selectively positionedcode indicia for controlling the severing of the nonlabel sectionstherefrom, said apparatus including a labeling station, means foradvancing product surfaces to said label station, label applying meansat said labeling station, label tape severing means, means for feedinglabel tape to said severing means, means for controlling the cutting ofsaid labels and nonlabel sections from the label tape by said tapesevering means including label tape scanning means operativelyassociated with said label tape feed means to control the feed of thelabel tape to said label tape severing means, and operatively associatedwith said label tape severing means to control the cutting of the labelsand nonlabel sections by said severing means, said label tape scanningmeans being responsive to said first selectively positioned code indiciaon a label tape to cause the cutting of labels from the label tape bysaid severing means at intervals which as a whole are different but areequal during the cutting of abutting labels, and responsive to saidsecond selectively positioned code indicia on a label tape to cause thecutting of nonlabel sections from the label tape by said severing meansat intervals greater than said equal intervals, label transfer means totransfer cut labels from said severing means to said applying means, andmeans for removing the nonlabel sections cut by said severingmeans..Iaddend..Iadd.
 35. In the preparation of labels for givenproducts, the method which comprises printing on a continuous web repeatlengths of labels for a given product containing the specifications ofthe product in recognizable characters and indicia selectively discreetfor said given product, winding the printed web into a roll andexamining the printed individual labels to detect improperly printedlabels, cutting the continuous web and removing the improper labels fromthe web together with all labels which are associated with each improperlabel in the repeat length in which it occurs so that the labels in theremaining cut ends of the web will, when such ends are spliced, formproper sequential repeat lengths, splicing the remaining web ends toform such sequential repeat lengths, and in such cutting and splicingoperations utilizing said discreet indicia to remove the correct lengthof tape containing each improper label and the labels associatedtherewith in the repeat length in which it occurs, and to correctlysplice the remaining cut ends so that the resulting spliced continuousweb will contain the correct sequential repeat lengths of the labels,and then rewinding the spliced web into a roll for subsequentuse..Iaddend. .Iadd.
 36. Labeling apparatus for applying to productsurfaces labels cut from a label tape printed on an offset printingpress to have repeated series of labels, each of such repeat seriesbeing composed of a given number of labels and at least one nonlabelsection which is to be cut away from the web and the labels, said atleast one nonlabel section abutting at least one label in each repeatseries and spacing apart two labels on the web and the remaining labelsin each repeat series not spaced by such a nonlabel section on the weball abutting one another, said web being provided with code indiciaunequally spaced longitudinally thereon for controlling the severing ofthe labels therefrom and for controlling the severing of the nonlabelsections therefrom, said apparatus including a labeling station, meansfor advancing product surfaces to said label station, label applyingmeans at said labeling station, label tape severing means, means forfeeding label tape to said severing means, means for controlling theintervals of the cutting of the labels and nonlabel sections from thelabel tape by said tape severing means including label tape scanningmeans responsive to said code indicia on a label tape to cause thecutting of labels from the label tape by said severing means atintervals which as a whole are different but are equal during thecutting of abutting labels, and to cause the cutting of nonlabelsections from the label tape by said severing means at intervals greaterthan said equal intervals, label transfer means to transfer cut labelsfrom said severing means to said applying means, and means for removingthe nonlabel sections cut by said severing means..Iaddend..Iadd. 37.Labeling apparatus for applying to product surfaces labels cut from alabel tape printed on an offset printing press to have repeated seriesof labels, each of such repeat series being composed of a given numberof labels and at least one nonlabel section which is to be cut away fromthe web and the labels, said at least one nonlabel section abutting atleast one label in each repeat series and spacing apart two labels onthe web and the remaining labels in each repeat series not spaced bysuch a nonlabel section on the web all abutting one another, said webbeing provided with code indicia unequally spaced longitudinally thereonfor controlling the severing of the labels therefrom and for controllingthe severing of the nonlabel sections therefrom, said apparatusincluding a labeling station, means for advancing product surfaces tosaid label station, label applying means at said labeling station. labeltape severing means, means for feeding label tape to said severingmeans, means for controlling the cutting of said labels and nonlabelsections from the label tape by said tape severing means including labeltape scanning means operatively associated with said label tape feedmeans to control the feed of the label tape to said label tape severingmeans, and operatively associated with said label tape severing means tocontrol the cutting of the labels and nonlabel sections by said severingmeans, said label tape scanning means being responsive to said codeindicia on a label tape to cause the cutting of labels from the labeltape by said severing means at intervals which as a whole are differentbut are equal during the cutting of abutting labels, and to cause thecutting of nonlabel sections from the label tape by said severing meansat intervals greater than said equal intervals, label transfer means totransfer cut labels from said severing means to said applying means, andmeans for removing the nonlabel sections cut by said severingmeans..Iaddend.